FC Barcelona star Raphinha defends himself against “disrespect” from fans

FC Barcelona star Raphinha responded to what he described as a “lack of respect” from one of the club's fans over the summer.

During the last and now closed transfer window, Barca were heavily linked with Spanish winger Nico Williams.

A social media fan and popular influencer wasted no time in getting Nico's name added to a then-new Barca jersey with Raphinha's number 11, but the potential move ultimately fell through due to Barca's failure to raise Nico's name to the Athletic's release clause Club exceeds $60 million.

Asked about the excitement during a pre-match press conference previewing the Catalans' Champions League clash against Bayern Munich, Raphinha, who commented on the post in question with a host of crying-with-laughter emojis, said: “It was a tasteless joke.” “.

“It was a bit of a lack of respect for my work. It was their opinion, but it was a lack of respect,” Raphinha added, although he admitted that people are free to put the number and name they want on a T-shirt.

With that in mind, Raphinha denied that the write-off and threat to his place from Nico was “no particular reason” for him to start the 2024/2025 season in the form of his life.

“There was no particular reason for me to start, but the desire to do my best for the club was. I started the season knowing that I had to adapt to different positions to play for this club.” “A different way of playing,” he explained after losing his place on the right wing to Lamine Yamal, but prevailed on the left side or in the middle.

“The change (in his form) is a bit mental and a bit tactical, but it is also very important for me, the confidence that the coach gives me, that the players give me and how they try to help me.”

“After three seasons at the club, I am ready to learn a little more, be it with the veterans or with the young players,” Raphinha also said, pointing out that his mentality now is different than the one he had after his season Transfer 2022 came to the club from Leeds United.

When Raphinha was chosen as one of four captains, he said it was a great source of pride to “wear the armband.”

“I think being a captain means not only wearing the armband on the field, but also in the dressing room: helping the team in everything, the veterans and the young people, listening to them, seeing if people are good or bad “If they need something, I just try to help everyone in any way I can,” explained a popular figure in the locker room.

Raphinha is now one of Barca's most important players and will almost certainly start in key games against Bayern and Real Madrid this week.